Higher plants have a life cycle that consists of a period of vegetative growth followed by reproductive development. Reproduction in angiosperms is a developmental process that begins with floral induction (evocation). This is the point in time at which the shoot apical meristem, the set of dividing cells that gives rise to most of the plant parts above the roots, stops making leaves and starts making flowers. Bernier, G. (1988) The control of floral evocation and morphogenesis. Ann. Rev. Plant. Physiol. Plant Molec. Biol. 39:175-219. Almost nothing is known, however, about the molecular and genetic controls that induce a plant to flower.
There is a great need for more information about the regulatory elements in plants. Increased knowledge of these elements would significantly improve our understanding of the underlying mechanism by which genes induce reproductive development in plants.